Hourly rate

[Carl Meyer]

I'm reminded of a story I heard about the hippie in central park who walked
dogs for 5 dollars an hour and was starving.

He bought a second hand tux, upped his price to 50 dollars and he had more
dogs than he could walk.

There is something about bragging at cocktail parties about how much you pay
for something.  Can't you just hear someone say  "I have this guy in a tux
that walks my dog and would you believe I pay him 50 dollars an hour?

The lazy salesman will cut the price till it sells, but the sharp guy will
raise the price and sell the sizzle till he gets a ridiculous price.

Go figure

Carl Meyer

----- Original Message -----
From: "Z! Reinhardt" <diskladame@provide.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2001 9:24 AM
Subject: Re: Hourly rate


> Some stories out of my personal archives ...
>
> About 20 years ago, long before I thought about becoming a piano
technician
> but while I was tinkering with the idea of doing something in the name of
> self-employment, a jazz pianist I knew in Boston gave me a little hint.
> "Charge what you will, as much as you think you're worth."
>
> He then went on to tell stories about some of the comments he had
overheard
> at the parties he had played at.  "You know, I paid a lot for this guy --
I
> knew he had to be real good...."
>
> I can never thank him enough for that advice.  It has worked like
clockwork
> for me.
>
> A few years ago I got a call from a bargain hunter looking for someone to
> work on a well-weathered upright piano she had been given.  I thought I
had
> discouraged her with my rates.  She called me back about a week later
saying
> she decided to have me attempt the work because I was the only person who
> sounded like I knew what I was doing, and that included the possibility
that
> the piano may have to be pronounced DOA.
>
> Z! Reinhardt  RPT
> Ann Arbor  MI
> diskladame@provide.net
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Kelly & Bill" <kellybill_m@hotmail.com>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2001 8:12 AM
> Subject: Re: Hourly rate
>
>
> Clyde,
>
> I think I have to agree with Dale on this one.  You may get a few bargain
> shoppers that add to your business these days.  However, by your own
> admission, your business grows (I suspect mainly) through referrals of
> satisfied clients.  Keep up the good work and you will keep your client
> base.  Additionally, most business people I know whose prices are higher
> than the competition tend to have a higher market share of the business.
I
> have also found this to be true of my own "other" profession of
photography.
> I have often seen others work that is clearly inferior to my own at trade
> shows selling better and at higher prices.  I have even been denied entry
to
> one show in particular, and been told my prices were too low!!  It is
clear
> to me that a very large part of the public honestly believes in the bigger
> is better philosophy, i.e. "if you charge more you must be better."  And,
> conversely, if it is cheaper, it must be "cheaper."  I think this would
> probably hold true as long as a fee increase does not make your services
> outlandishly priced - though even then, who knows?
>
> Regards,
> William R. Monroe
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Clyde Hollinger" <cedel@supernet.com>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2001 6:26 AM
> Subject: Re: Hourly rate
>
>
> > Friends,
> >
> > I would really be interested in any response to the question below,
> whether anyone
> > raised the rates too high and then had to back off.
> >
> > I have a theory.  In times past I didn't charge enough, and I think a
few
> new clients
> > still call me because I had a reputation for charging a meager price.
> Nowadays my
> > business grows mostly through referrals from satisfied clients, and I
> charge a
> > competitive rate.  But if I charged much higher than the average, I
> suspect I would get
> > a reputation for being expensive that would last many years and could
hurt
> business,
> > even if I returned later to a fee closer to what others charge.  I don't
> want that
> > scenario to develop.  In this part of the country people are pretty
> frugal.  Thoughts?
> >
> > Regards,
> > Clyde
> >
> > larudee@pacbell.net wrote:
> >
> > > Ron Nossaman wrote:
> > >
> > > > What happens when we think we're worth more than our customer base
> thinks we're
> > > > worth?
> > >
> > > Has anyone tried to find out?  Has anyone raised rates too high and
then
> had to
> > > back off?  Or are we operating on supposition?
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>